The present invention relates to a tripod stand, particularly suited for musical instruments, wherein the stand has a main post and a tripod leg structure supporting the main post.
The tripod structure is collapsible, wherein the legs of the stand may be folded inward toward the main post and may be extended, folded or tilted outward, to form a tripod or three leg support structure.
Conventional tripod stands, e.g. for supporting musical instruments or other devices, include a main post and three legs supporting the post. A sliding structure is provided at the main post to enable the three legs to be folded outward from the main post to a supporting position and inward toward the main post to a storage or carrying position. The sliding structure may comprise an upper holding member slidable along the main post. The upper end of each leg of the tripod stand is journaled or hingedly connected to the upper holding member. In such cases, the outer end of a respective articulated arm is journaled or hingedly connected along each leg, generally approximately at the middle of the leg and usually at the same distance along each leg from the upper holding member. A typically stationary, non-slidable lower holding member is provided on the main post below the upper holding member. The other, inner end of each articulated arm is journaled or hingedly connected to the stationary lower holding member. The above described movement of the tripod legs from the outward supporting to the inward storage positions can be achieved by the lower holding member being slidable along the main post while the upper holding member is stationary. With these types of connection for the legs and the articulated arms of the stand, the sliding of the slidable holding member, whether it is the upper or lower member, along the main post determines the angles, measured through the main post, at which the legs are separated from each other and from the main post. In addition, those tilt angles or spacings of the legs from the main post are identical, causing the bottom ends of the legs to define an equilateral triangle.
However, where it is desired to hold a musical instrument such as a specific drum or cymbal, or another device, such as a microphone, extending in one direction and thus off the center of the stand, e.g. in close proximity to a performer, variations in the structure of the tripod stand have been required. Additional supports have been required on the main post to provide outriggers or booms for carrying the off center instrument or device. This changes the center of gravity of the entire tripod stand making it unstable, and the stand may fall or lean into other devices.
In the invention, the tripod structure is arranged so that the main post can be tilted from an upright position to provide the type of support usually provided by an outrigger, to bring the supported particular musical instrument or device into alignment with other instruments or devices or into desired proximity to the user. For example, such tilting of the main post is known to be accomplished by a particular arrangement of or connection to one of the legs of the tripod, to permit one of the legs to be tilted outwardly from the main post to a different extent or angle than the other legs. In another invention by the applicant hereof, the angle of incline of one leg is adjusted with respect to that of the other legs by moving either the upper end of the one leg or the end of its articulated arm along the main post with respect to the corresponding part of the other legs.
The present invention is related to another invention for a tripod stand made by the present applicant. The other invention relates to a tripod stand for supporting a vertical main post. The legs of the tripod stand are connected at their upper ends to a vertically slidable upper holding member which may be adjustable along the vertical main post of the tripod stand. Each leg is connected to a respective articulated arm generally at the center of the leg. The articulated arms are also connected at the main post. Adjustment of the upper holding member adjusts the spread of the legs. One of the articulated arms is of a different length than the other two articulated arms, and is connected to its leg higher up toward the top of that leg, than are the other two articulated arms. When the tripod legs are opened outward for supporting the stand, the one leg is caused to extend further out from the main post than the other two legs, shifting the center of gravity of the stand toward that one leg, thereby providing a support for any overhanging element on that side of the stand. The articulated arms are all of fixed lengths, preselected at manufacture of the stand.